So I guess she has found a coach or in now good terms wih Morozov ?
she definitely has a chance to get into the Olympics Team, I think Akiko can start backing her bags out now that Ando is back !

It's a bit early to be presuming that. Ando hasn't competed in 2 years, and Akiko did very well at World Team Trophy (her most recent competition) and had a season with a 3rd at the GPF and medals at 4CC and the Grand Prix. And Akiko is a much better skater now than what she was during the time Ando was in her prime. It's hard to say for certain but at this point I think Ando might have a better chance at beating Kanako (unless she can fix her URs).

JSF has already said they won't send Miki to competitions unless she competes at Regionals (that means no GP) and she has to WIN Nationals to make the team for Sochi. Miki will be 26 by Nationals and she will not have competed internationally for 2.5 years. I have my doubts that Miki will be competitive against the current lineup of Japanese ladies, and don't see her winning the title.

JSF has already said they won't send Miki to competitions unless she competes at Regionals (that means no GP) and she has to WIN Nationals to make the team for Sochi. Miki will be 26 by Nationals and she will not have competed internationally for 2.5 years. I have my doubts that Miki will be competitive against the current lineup of Japanese ladies, and don't see her winning the title.

Wow, they said she *has* to? I think her chances are really slim now. And it's not like she's the most artistic skater so she'll need everything, including faulty performances from all 3 favourites.

Well, she will have to compete in some international competition to get a qualifying score, right? If she gets the 2nd highest overall total score of the Japanese women for the season, and finishes in 2nd at Nationals, I highly doubt they would leave her off the team, especially consider she was a WC this Olympic cycle.

Well, she will have to compete in some international competition to get a qualifying score, right? If she gets the 2nd highest overall total score of the Japanese women for the season, and finishes in 2nd at Nationals, I highly doubt they would leave her off the team, especially consider she was a WC this Olympic cycle.

exactly, I think the chances of Akiko or Murakami not making the team is bigger then Miki being left out, after all Miki's scoring potentials is higher then both Akiko and Murakami. so any decent showing from Miki and she will be in the mix. the only one I consider a lock for the Olympic team is Mao.

and through many people have written Ando out, I still think that she is able to make a good comeback, after all she is a natural jumper just like Mao, and a good training team and determination to work hard may be all she needs to get back in shape. i atleast wouldn't be surprised if she gave a strong comeback at nationals!

Well, she will have to compete in some international competition to get a qualifying score, right? If she gets the 2nd highest overall total score of the Japanese women for the season, and finishes in 2nd at Nationals, I highly doubt they would leave her off the team, especially consider she was a WC this Olympic cycle.

She apparently has to skate at Regionals to qualify for Nationals before even getting a B assignment. I doubt a high score at a B assignment would be convincing of anything either given that the fields there are easier. If the JSF has already said they wont send barring a win at Nationals, I dont see them going back on that unless one of Suzuki or Murakami has a horrible grand prix season. It is not like Ando at this stage is anymore competitive than them. Suzuki posted a 200ish score at the WTT and that is almost the same as Ando got at the 2011 4CCs which was the competition of her life, and higher than Ando got in winning the 2011 Worlds. I doubt given her layoff and age Ando would even be capable of that now (Suzuki is even older but she is a late bloomer who has been competing and improving continously). Murakami was 4th at Worlds, and Ando would have needed to be in her 2011 form to even be as high as 4th at this years Worlds.

I still dont think we will see Ando compete. What would be her goal for coming back, Olympic Gold, ROTFL, maybe if Kim falls 5 times and Kostner and Asada fall a couple atleast each. I dont think there would be anything to motivate her to return when her chances of an Olympic medal are extremely small.

She apparently has to skate at Regionals to qualify for Nationals before even getting a B assignment. I doubt a high score at a B assignment would be convincing of anything either given that the fields there are easier. If the JSF has already said they wont send barring a win at Nationals, I dont see them going back on that unless one of Suzuki or Murakami has a horrible grand prix season. It is not like Ando at this stage is anymore competitive than them. Suzuki posted a 200ish score at the WTT and that is almost the same as Ando got at the 2011 4CCs which was the competition of her life, and higher than Ando got in winning the 2011 Worlds. I doubt given her layoff and age Ando would even be capable of that now (Suzuki is even older but she is a late bloomer who has been competing and improving continously). Murakami was 4th at Worlds, and Ando would have needed to be in her 2011 form to even be as high as 4th at this years Worlds.

I still dont think we will see Ando compete. What would be her goal for coming back, Olympic Gold, ROTFL, maybe if Kim falls 5 times and Kostner and Asada fall a couple atleast each. I dont think there would be anything to motivate her to return when her chances of an Olympic medal are extremely small.

Well, would Suzuki have gotten the same score if the WTT hadn't been held in Tokyo? I know it's ISU international competition just like 4CC and Worlds Ando won in 2011 but still we all know that Japanese score slightly higher in Japan, especially at this very competition. It seems special to them ending the season of their beloved sport in their country and the judges want to deliver properly. Normally, I think Akiko would've scored something around 195 for her performances.

If Ando comes back to her old form she's capable of high GOE's on all of her jumps and spins. If the technicalities are there the judges will increase PCS accordingly. What's more, she could also benefit from 70% base value for "<" as opposed to what she got before.

If the JSF has already said they wont send barring a win at Nationals, I dont see them going back on that.

Why not? If Akiko or Kanako finish 4th at Japanese nationals and have mediocre GP events they haven't made a compelling case to be on the team. I find Miki uninspiring but I do know she can score well if she's clean, and her two world titles are no fluke.

I being lucky enough to not know anything about skatin', and unencombered by the thought process, wonder if it is totally out of the question that the JSF would release her to skate for another country? If they are just trying to be mean to her, I suppose they would not release her. But with Akiko and Kanako skating at the level they are now, the JSF better never say never about letting Miki compete. Burning bridges isnt a good idea. And Mao, like every skater, is one injury from sitting out the season. I like and admire Akiko but she is not "on". I say let Miki compete on the GP circuit....I would have rather seen her at Worlds than 20 of the other ladies that made it to the final skate.....

I being lucky enough to not know anything about skatin', and unencombered by the thought process, wonder if it is totally out of the question that the JSF would release her to skate for another country? If they are just trying to be mean to her, I suppose they would not release her. But with Akiko and Kanako skating at the level they are now, the JSF better never say never about letting Miki compete. Burning bridges isnt a good idea. And Mao, like every skater, is one injury from sitting out the season. I like and admire Akiko but she is not "on". I say let Miki compete on the GP circuit....I would have rather seen her at Worlds than 20 of the other ladies that made it to the final skate.....

Thank you, CoyoteChris. I don't understand the animosity that many on here seem to have for Miki. She may not be the most artistic skater, but I think she is still lovely to watch.